"Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi proposes protection law for Experimental Farm while Civic Hospital project rolls on."

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, September 3, 2021. MP Yasir Naqvi is still endorsing the loss of Farm land along Baseline Road for Stage 2 LRT. And he approves of the encroachment of 42 acres east of Prince of Wales Drive for the Canadensis Botanical Garden. Agriculture Canada was prepared to give the Botanical Garden 108 acres east of Prince of Wales during the year 2002: 

A recent satellite image of the Fletcher Wildlife Garden east of Prince of Wales Drive. The Arboretum Woods are untouchable, they are protected by Federal. Provincial and Municipal governments. And land beside the Rideau Canal and  Hartwell Locks is protected by UNESCO buffer zones and various levels of government; as well as a treaty that was signed after the War of 1812:
House of Commons Ottawa June 1, 1950 Member of Parliament George Taylor Fulford (Leeds) Liberal:
"As we all know, the Rideau Canal is of particular historic importance. It was built after the War of 1812 by British army engineers. One of the clauses of the treaty (before the British handed the Rideau Canal over to Canada) said that Canada would maintain the canal system as long as the grass was green and the skies were blue above."
Parks Canada wanted to privatize all the Rideau Canal locks, dams, weirs, etc. during the year 2017, for millions of dollars. Parks Canada said the waterway from Ottawa to Kingston had no historic or cultural value. - savecfbrockcliffe.

Debates of the Senate of Canada, Ottawa April 2002-Proposal to sell Moffat Farm. A Senate of Canada investigation:

"The public fears that many other parklands, like the Experimental Farm and the Arboretum are on the National Capital Commission's list for sale." Senator Anne Cools, April 23, 2002.

The City of Ottawa is planning to widen Carling Avenue again. The last time Carling Avenue was widened the City of Ottawa received Experimental Farm property including the North Azimuth. The North Azimuth was demolished. (A 1954-55 Privy Council Order-in-Council (Cabinet) document.)

Extensive demolition or relocation are required. The Sir John Carling location:

• On this site we have at least 24 buildings. Heritage buildings include Buildings 1 to 9, Natural Resources campus, including the Dominion Observatory.
• Building 49, William Saunders, vacant.
• Building 20, KW Neatby and Oilseed Research Centre.
• Extensive demolition or relocation of buildings is required for new build to proceed. (From: "The New Civic Campus: A 21st Century Hospital in the Heart of Canada's Capital" April of 2016, page 10/76.)  

  

  The Dominion Observatory campus is interfering with the conversion of Maple Drive to an
   ambulance route. And the South Azimuth is definitely being removed.
  

  
  

The people of Canada are losing the Neatby building and nearby land.

Ottawa Construction News photo, December 4, 2016.

NCC Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital, Nov. 2016.

Site 7: CEF: Baseline Road-Merivale Road. Key Strengths 

• Ideal parcel shape and size.
• Very good road access.
• Low cost implications for federal government.
• Good access to Highway 417. 

Key Weaknesses

• Irreversible impact on the experimental fields and shelterbelts, elements identified as having national significance.
• Displaces agricultural plots subject to research.
• Does not conform to federal planning framework for the site.
• Not in close proximity to transit-oriented development or future urban intensification.
• Poor connectivity to rapid rail transit.

Site 9: CEF - Carling Avenue (west) Key Strengths 

• Ideal parcel shape and size.
• Very good road access.
• Very good access to Highway 417.
• Proximity to existing Civic Hospital would facilitate transition.
• Low cost implications for federal government.
• No known physical vulnerabilities.

Key Weaknesses

• Irreversible impact on the experimental fields and shelterbelts, views and cultural landscape elements identified as having national significance as part of the Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site.
• Displaces agricultural plots subject to research.
• Does not conform to federal planning framework for site.
• Not in close proximity to transit-oriented development or future urban plans.
• Poor connectivity to rapid rail transit.

Site 10 - CEF - Carling Avenue (central) Key Strengths

• Ideal parcel shape.
• Very good access to Highway 417.
• Proximity to existing Civic Hospital would facilitate transition.
• No known physical vulnerabilities.

Key Weaknesses

• Irreversible impact on buildings, experimental fields, views and cultural landscape elements identified as having national significance as part of the Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site.
• Displaces agricultural plots subject to research and federal offices.
• Poor connectivity to rapid rail transit.

Site 11 - CEF - Carling Avenue (east) Key Strengths

• Within 400 m of existing rapid transit station.
• Very good road access.
• Very good access to Highway 417.
• Proximity to existing Civic Hospital would facilitate transition.
• Good potential for active transportation.
• Low cost implications for federal government.
• Great city-building potential.
• Site topography and configuration could generate great design.

Key Weaknesses

• Impact on cultural heritage due to intrusion into boundary of Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site, proximity to UNESCO World Heritage Site, and presence of heritage buildings.
• Moderate geotechnical challenges.
• Site topography and configuration could create design challenges.
• Does not conforms to federal planning framework for the site. (All info is from pages 30 and 31of 256 pages.)

Extensive demolition or relocation is required.

• The Sir John Carling location. On this site we have at least 24 buildings. Heritage buildings include Buildings 1 to 9, Natural Resources Canada campus including the Dominion Observatory.
• Building 49, William Saunders. Vacant.
• Building 20, K.W. Neatby and Oilseed Research Centre.
• Extensive demolition or relocation of buildings is required for new build to proceed. (From: The New Civic Campus: A 21st Century Hospital in the Heart of Canada's Capital, page 10/76, April of 2016.)

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Currently protected:

• K.W. Neatby #20
• Laboratory Services #22
• Nutrition building #59
• Arboretum Horticulture Centre #74
• Swine barn #91
• Engineering Research #94
• Carpenter Shop #98 (Google: Federal Directory of Real Property website, Agriculture Canada no. 08625. Land area (ha) 409.8200. Building count-87.)

The entire Dominion Observatory campus along Carling Avenue will be demolished.

The DARA Tennis Club and all the trees will soon be gone.

The Department of Agriculture Recreational Association Tennis Club is located on Maple Drive near the Dominion Observatory. As I mentioned before, Maple Drive is being converted to an ambulance route and "Emergency Vehicle Only" signs will be posted.

DARA is part of a land deal between the government of Canada and a medical centre.

Canada's sovereignty and history.

 I will not live in a prison called a 15-minute neighbourhood, eat cultured meat; wear an N95 mask (or any mask) that fits so tightly that it cuts off my breathing; acquiesce to the decommissioning of all the scenic parkways in the National Capital Region; give up my right own the green spaces in the NCR (the Greenbelt, and the Gatineau, Mooney's Bay, Vincent Massey, Hog's Back, Commissioners, Lazy Bay and Major's Hill parks.) Who gave an unelected Crown corporation and the City of Ottawa the power to ban cars on Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill; to ban private vehicles on scenic driveways that are located beside the Ottawa River, Rideau River and Dow's Lake. 

Canada should not give up its sovereignty by signing a treaty--- that gives a global entity the power to issue mandates, control our mobility and dictate what we can eat. I have the right to make health care decisions about my own body. I am so fed up with the following expressions:

•  smart cities
•  the government does not need bricks and mortar to govern
•  vaccine passport
•  herd immunity
•  active transportation
• surplus land

 I am fed up with attempts to erase my country's history---by toppling statues of political leaders; removing Canada's Maple Leaf Flag, Coat of Arms and the names of prominent people from government buildings; removing any reference to Vimy Ridge, Terry Fox and the The Last Spike from passports. Seven thousand six hundred Canadian soldiers lost their lives during the World War 2 liberation of the Netherlands. But a memorial that honoured their sacrifice---Queen Juliana Park on 870 Carling Avenue---was donated to a medical centre.

Canada's Coat of Arms before and after---

Snowflakes and maple leaves are replacing religious symbols, St. Edward's Crown and Fleur des Lis. "Snowflake is a derogatory term for a person, implying that they have an inflated sense of uniqueness, an unwarranted sense of entitlement, or they are overly emotional, easily offended and are unable to deal with opposing opinions." Wikipedia.

The World Health Organization Covid treaty-Alternate sources of protein-

Photos that never appeared on my blog before.

The Calgary Centennial Planetarium

The Walk for Juvenile Diabetes, Queen Juliana Park.

Gonzales Hill Observatory, Victoria BC.

My younger sister and I, 1967.

My Dad at the Thule Air Base.

Me.

The Farm.

A 1980's document from the library on Laurier Avenue. Already sold or endangered: 1.) Earnscliffe 2.) Central Experimental Farm 3.) Ottawa Teachers College 4.) Rideau Canal. 5.) Chateau Laurier 6.) land beneath the Daly Building. 

 The Dominion Observatory campus may be flattened because it is interfering with the construction of a hospital. A video called "Ottawa prepares to hand over historic federal farmland to corporate developers" can be seen on Vimeo:

An Ottawa Citizen article from December 20, 1996.

The Booth Barn and 50 more properties were slated for demolition in 1996. The Ontario government and heritage organizations mobilized to save the barns, greenhouses etc.

Big changes are on the horizon for Confederation Heights.

Confederation Heights - A Road Network  iii "City Council shall support the ownership transfer from Public Works and Government Services Canada to the City, those portions of Heron Road and Riverside Drive that traverse the Confederation Heights area to have them formally integrated as part of the arterial road network."

Vincent Massey Park, Hog's Back Park and Mooney's Bay may be transferred to the City of Ottawa. The city believes in parkettes or pocket parks that are less than one acre.iii "Council shall consider the appraisal of any lands to be transferred in the context of their current use as open space, their classification as open space in the City of Ottawa Official Plan and in consideration that they will remain as open space."

Recreational Land Strategy for Ottawa 2006-2031. Parks and Open Spaces 4.4.2. "The City's requirements for parks and open spaces may have to be revisited to ensure that the types of spaces required of developers reflect the need for quality spaces of all sorts. The goal of a review of parks and recreational land should be "Quality over quantity of space should be a guiding principle". Parks don't have to be grassy to green.

Mooney's Bay is a federal park that is now being leased to the City of Ottawa:

"In lieu of payment the parkland levy by the Federal Government and/or partners involved in the development of lands within the Confederation Heights Employment Centre, with the exception of Canada Post Headquarters, may direct the developers to pay the NCC the cash equivalent of the levy subject to a further agreement between the City and the NCC to transfer title of Federal lands now leased to the City of Ottawa for park purposes."

The redevelopment of 1010 Somerset Street West.

Federal properties that were owned by all Canadians.

House of Commons Ottawa May 20, 1980 Mr. Paul James Cosgrove (Minister of Public Works, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the National Capital Commission)Liberal:

• The Parliament Buildings
• office buildings
• postal terminals - Amazon bought the massive Canada Post mail sorting plant in Vancouver.
• defence bases
• armouries - including the Oak Park Armoury at Plouffe Park near Gladstone, and Lees Avenue Armoury.
• national parks
• historic sites
• research laboratories
• airports
• marine properties
• warehouses
• communications stations
• experimental farms - "The government of Canada is getting out of the business of running experimental farms". A 1995 statement.
• fish hatcheries
• penitentiaries - (Corrections Canada wants to consolidate many institutions in Kingston and sell the farmland. The Prison for Women on Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard was sold to a developer who is building condos on the 8-acre adjoining land, and converting the prison to a seniors building with apartments, and commercial establishments on the first floor. Any evidence that the National Historic Site was a prison will be removed.) 
• police detachments
• residential properties
• schools
• hospitals - (The Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital was donated to the University of Toronto.)
• libraries and it goes on.  (The entire Canadian Library at the Canadian Embassy in London, England was donated to the University of London via a Privy Council Order-in-Council.)

I will add: The Gonzales Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria, BC. The Canadian Embassy in London, England. Kanata Post Office - several years ago I drove by and the windows were covered with brown wrapping paper. The Forintek Building on 800 Montreal Road, Ottawa.

"Ottawa may sell off billions in real estate." CBC News, September 21, 2004.

Included on the hit list: 

• The entire portfolio of Public Works and Government Services, 350 buildings.
• The northern half of the Sparks Street Mall.
• Library and Archives Canada on Wellington Street in Ottawa.

The PWGSC Minister promised that the Parliament Buildings, Library of Parliament and Supreme Court of Canada were not on the list.

Crown assets.

House of Commons Ottawa February 9, 2001 Mr. Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, NDP): "...The federal government owns 68,000 buildings."

Surplus GOC real estate in 2007:

1. Asticou Centre - 241 Boulevard de la Cite-des-Jeunes. A public service training centre built on a 64 acre parcel.

2. Constitution Building - 305 Rideau Street, Ottawa.

3. East Memorial Building - Wellington Street.

4. West Memorial Building - Wellington Street.

4. Gatineau Preservation Centre - 625 Boulevard du Carrefour.

5. Lester B. Pearson Building - 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.

6. Library and Archives Canada - 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa.

7. Major General G.R. Pearkes Building - 101 Colonel By Drive.

8. National Printing Bureau - 45 Sacre-Coeur Blvd. Gatineau.

9. 111 Sussex Drive - Green Island.

10. RCMP Headquarters - 1200 Vanier Parkway.

11. Sir William Logan Building - 580 Booth Street.

12. The Sir Charles Tupper, Sir Leonard Tilley and Taxation Data Buildings will be demolished to facilitate the redevelopment of the 257-acre Confederation Heights.

The Taxation Data Centre encompasses 150 acres. 

13. Place du Portage - Phase 1 and 2 - 50 Victoria Street Hull.

14. Place du Portage - Phase 111 - 11 Laurier Street Hull.

15. Place du Portage - Phase 1V - Promenade du Portage Hull -( My husband was a PWGSC employee in Phase 1V for many years.)

The surplus real estate info is from a February 21, 2007 Ottawa Citizen article.

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Janet Sinclair in front of the Sinclair Centre in Vancouver. Janet Sinclair is the daughter of the Hon. James Sinclair after whom the building is named. Plans to sell the property to Larco were cancelled.(pressreader.com and Vancouver Sun photo.)

Senate Bill S-203 would protect the Parliamentary Precinct, which includes buildings on Wellington Street across from Parliament Hill; the northern half of the Sparks Street Mall; the Western Annex of the Precinct at Lebreton Flats and the Dominion Observatory. Also, the Rideau Canal and adjacent land, Greenbelt, Gatineau Park, Scenic Parkways, the Farm, etc. cannot be encroached upon and monetized.

Government of Canada land and buildings that were given away or sold.

Site 143 - 870 Carling Avenue was donated to the Civic Hospital Corporation.

Site 145 - The Plouffe Park warehouse on Oak Street was flattened. 933 Gladstone is the location of Gladstone Village.

A recent Save Little Italy t-shirt.

Site 146 - the RCMP Barracks were sold to the city of Ottawa.

Site 150 - Tunney's Pasture is being redeveloped.

Site 151 - The Ottawa River Parkway (West) is known as the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway. The NCC removed hundreds of buses from the parkway and plans may be underway to remove all vehicles and de-pave the SJAM scenic driveway.

Site 151-a - A couple of apartment buildings will be constructed adjacent to Maple Lawn on 529 Richmond Road---at one time the land was a popular venue for soccer players, joggers and people walking their dogs. Ottawa Councillor Jeff Leiper was opposed to any redevelopment of Maple Lawn property.

Site 152 - The Eldorado Nuclear Building at Tunney's Pasture is gone.

Site 153 - The Atomic Energy Building at Tunney's Pasture is gone.

Site 163 - The Telecommunications Engineering Lab at Clyde and Baseline was sold to the Municipality of Ottawa. Walmart and a strip mall are located on that space. (more)

A few days ago the Department of Public Works announced that 10 office buildings are being privatized including:

The CBC National Headquarters on 1500 Bronson Avenue in Ottawa.

Property Number: 57718

Custodian: Public Services and Procurement Canada

Interest: Crown Owned

Restriction: No Restriction

Primary Use: Office

Address: 1500 Bronson Avenue

Place Name: no data

Municipality: Ottawa

Federal Electoral District: Ottawa South

Census Classification: Rural

Land Area: 9.2632 ha.

Building Count: 2

Floor Area: 12,200 sq. m.

External Parking: 250 spaces

Interior Parking: 0 spaces

Record Created: February 2nd, 1991

Record Last Modified on: April 18th, 2019 (All information, photo and map are from the Federal Directory of Real Property website.)

.

 

Government of Canada parks and driveways in the National Capital Region, 1949.

 Federal District Commission Annual Report, 1949.

• Bronson Park
• Clemow and Monkland Avenues
• Confederation Park
• Central Park and Linden Terrace
• Dow's Lake park and playground
• Echo Drive
• Experimental Farm Driveway
• Eastview Park
• Island Park Driveway
• King Edward Avenue Park
• Lady Grey Drive
• Nepean Point Park
• Lake Flora Park, Hull
• Major's Hill Park
• MacDonald Garden Park
• Nicholas Street Park
• Parc Jacques Cartier, Hull
• Rockcliffe Park
• Rideau Canal Driveway
• Strathcona Park
• Dundonald Park, Somerset Street
• Val Tetreau Park, Hull (from: Federal District Commission Annual Report, page 37/75.)

Kingston lake-shore land.

 House of Commons Ottawa June 12, 1970 Mr. David Lewis (Parliamentary Leader of the N.D.P.) New Democratic Party: "I should like to direct a question either to the acting Minister of Transport or to his Parliamentary Secretary or perhaps to the Minister of Public Works. I do not know exactly where the responsibility lies."

" Is the Minister aware of the fact that a couple of industries have vacated lakeshore land in Kingston and now there is a question as to the ownership of that land and whether or not the land should be given to a private developer from Ottawa or be developed as a recreational facility? Further, if he is aware of this would the Minister undertake to assert federal ownership of the land and interest in the land, and also assure the House that it will not be handed over to the private developer? Marina City would cover the site of the old Canadian Locomotive Works and adjacent areas, some of which are owned by the federal government. The project would include some 750 apartments in three towers, townhouses, shops, offices, a hotel, a convention centre and a marina. A total of 1,300 underground parking spaces are provided." (See: Architecture Canada newsmagazine, 1970, page 5/10.)

Hon. Arthur Laing (Minister of Public Works): "Mr. Speaker, I know nothing about this matter but I thank the hon. member for drawing it to our attention. I shall talk to the Minister of Transport, and if there is Public Works responsibility in the matter we will see to that."

House of Commons Ottawa June 12, 1970 Mr. John Gilbert (Broadview)New Democratic Party: "...To sell this property, which really belongs to the public, to private interests would be indicative of a preference for individual profit rather than a concern for the public of Kingston..."

Marina City was never built. Confederation Park is located between Lake Ontario and Kingston City Hall. (Flickr photo.) 

The people of Canada owned billions of dollars of Crown assets.

Canada Place in Vancouver may be privatized.

 

Government of Canada properties in 1992. 

A joke.The building is featured in the opening scenes of a tv show called "Street Legal", and is protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The headquarters of the National Capital Commission on 291 Carling Avenue were privatized.

The Experimental Farm was a filming location for the movie "The Perfect Assistant", starring Chris Potter and Josie Davis.

A flying saucer created by the Avro aerospace company.